How can I avoid getting scammed by clients who don’t pay?

I usually ask for payment upfront for almost all jobs I've worked on since I started in 2010. For bigger projects, I request 50% upfront and the remaining 50% before I deliver anything. This way, clients have references they can check, and it builds trust from the start.

You shouldn’t send clients your entire project before getting paid, right? I handle hosting and server management, so if a client delays payment, I can just take the site down. It puts a little pressure on them to pay up!

Definitely avoid clients who say they'll talk about payment only after the work is done. That usually leads to either no payment or them offering a lowball amount later. Just trust me on this!

Preview your work but don't give ownership rights until payment is received. It's a simple strategy that works well, and you don’t need to be an expert to do this!

Don't hand over your work until you've received payment. Also, consider having contracts for your future projects. Contracts help set clear expectations and provide legal backing if things go sideways. Here's a video that talks about how to make sure your contracts are solid. [Check it out!](https://youtu.be/jVkLVRt6c1U?si=_LQuWjqYVnlvH1tS)